Greywater Reuse:

A separate greywater PVC drain system was installed in the home to serve bathroom sinks, showers, and bathtubs flowing to a commercially-available greywater reuse system. The reuse system filters the greywater and discharges it to an irrigation area serving an orchard of six trees.

Greywater System Layout

Six-tree orchard, irrigated by gray water, is thriving even during extreme drought conditions.

Rainwater Harvesting:

A 600-gallon underground storage tank was originally installed to collect rainwater from gutters. Later, this tank was replaced with a 1,200-gallon tank. A pump discharges the water to a spray irrigation system for front and rear gardens.

Greywater Reuse:

A data logger collected water data including flow rate and quantity of water provided at the discharge of the greywater reuse system, and whole-house water consumption was measured with a flow meter. Soil samples were taken from the orchard irrigation area at 6-inch and 24-inch depth and at 20 feet from the irrigation area. Samples were tested for nitrates, various nutrients, trace elements, salts, and other pollutants.

Rainwater Harvesting:

A water meter was placed on the outlet of the rainwater collection tank and on the tap water inlet to the tank. A separate meter measured total household consumption. An on-site weather station was installed to monitor rainfall and other weather data.

Air Admittance Valves:

An AAV was placed in the attic area in lieu of a plumbing vent stack penetrating the standing seam metal roof.